Friday, November 20, 2009

Tree Boy Recipes

These are the recipes from the segment with Tree Boy this morning. For more great recipes for a twisted Thanksgiving; pick up a copy of the new Indianapolis DINE magazine.

Cranberry-ginger Relish
Recipe By : Thom England
Serving Size : 8

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 can Mandarin orange -- Quartered
20 ounces Cranberries
1/2 Cup Maple syrup
1/2 Cup ginger root -- Peeled

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse. Adjust taste as needed with more sugar or lemon juice if acid needed.


Sweet Potato Hash Browns (latkes)
Recipe By : Thom England
Serving Size : 8

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 Medium Sweet Potato -- Peeled and Grated
1 small yellow onion -- peeled and grated
2 Each Egg
1 1/2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Peanut Oil
2 Tablespoons Apple Butter

Combine Sweet Potato, Yellow Onion, Egg, Flour and Salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out the latke mixture and press out to form small round potato pancakes.
Heat a saute pan with the Corn Oil. Place Latke into hat pan and cook on each side until crisp. About 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel. Reserve in a warm place.
Spread a layer of Apple Butter on Hash Browns for a little extra flavor boost.

The nest 2 recipes are available in Indianapolis Dine Magazine (Written by Ivy Tech Students).

Twisted Crispy Yam S’more Stacks
By Sarah Nunery
Difficulty: 4
Portions: 12-14

3 large yams (about 3 pounds)
2 to 3 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt (to taste)
1 Dozen large Marshmallows (roasted)
2 cups Tempered Chocolate (melted)
1 cup Graham Crackers (crushed)

Starting with the Yams-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash the yams well, rub them with some of the olive oil, and sprinkle salt. Prick the yams with a fork, and then bake for about 35 to 45 minutes, until a skewer can just barely go to the center. Allow the yams to cool until you can handle them. Then, without peeling them, cut crosswise into ½ to ¾ inch thick rounds.

When ready to build stacks, heat the remaining oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add yam slices and fry until crisp on both sides and hot through. 1 to 2 minutes. OR You can grill the yams by brushing them with oil and grilling them over a low fire to keep from burning.

Marshmallows-
Simply roast marshmallows over a low flame until golden brown on the outside and soft and hot on the inside.

Building Stacks-
-Place two roasted marshmallow between two rounds of yams, like a sandwich.
-Drizzle the tempered chocolate over top of yam stack.
-Sprinkle crushed graham crackers over top the chocolate.

Serve hot!

Serves: 6 Time for prep and cooking: 1 hour Difficulty Level: 5 Pretty Easy


Twisted Inside-Out Green Bean Casserole



By Rob Gaston
Difficulty: 4
Portions: 4 mushrooms
Ingredients
4 portabella mushroom caps
3 Tbsp Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 large onions
½ cup port wine
3-4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 ½ cups fresh green beans

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
· Run a knife horizontally around the portabella cap to remove the black gills. Drizzle the cut side with oil, then season with salt and pepper.
· Cut the onions into thin slices, and cook in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the onions have become soft and translucent, turn the heat down to low. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until onions begin to caramelize.
· Stir the thyme leaves into the onions and heat briefly. Then add the port wine and cook until absorbed by the onions.
· Using ¼ of each ingredient, place the onions on the portabella mushroom, top with goat cheese. Put the mushrooms in the oven for 20 minutes.
· Lay the green beans flat on a cutting board and lightly run a peeler along the green bean to create thin shavings. You may need to rotate the green bean after each shaving.
· Pile the green bean shavings on top of the mushrooms, and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until the goat cheese and some of the green beans have started to brown.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Talking Turkey with Thom E


100 Mile Thanksgiving


Each year we celebrate the harvest with Thanksgiving. Most cultures around the world celebrate many different harvests. Travel France in the Summer and Fall , and you will find a festival every weekend celebrating the harvest of a different crop ..... truffles, potatoes, grapes, mmushrooms, etc. Every village has its own harvest to celebr a te. It's unfortunate that the U.S. has only one celebration for all of our bounty. I love Thanksgiving. All the food is canned or frozen that we will be eating for the next five months, and we are ready to go slow into winter.
As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, think about where the sources of the food on your table. We should be celebrating our own local harvest. Try to order your turkey from a local source (I recommend Goose the Market, who sells turkeys raised in Northern Indiana). Even the side dishes should feature all the bounties of the area. Our table will include Pumpkin Pie from pumpkins grown in our CSA, Persimmon P udding from persimmons grown on Karen's family farm, s weet p otatoes from near Terre Haute , and rolls from wheat grown in Indiana and ground in our own home. Indiana has so much to offer. If you would like to find some great food for your table check out the Indy Winter Market that is open the second Saturday in November - April 24.
Thanksgiving Turkey
1 18 pound Turkey, Pastur e Raised
1/2 Cup Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Thyme Leaves
1 tsp Oregano, chopped
2 tsp rubbed sage
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 head garlic, peeled, minced
1 Cup Veg e table Oil
1. Rub the turkey with all the herbs and spices. Return it to the refrigerator and allow to rest for 24 hours u ncovered.
2. Rub the oil on the bird. Place it breast side down i n a rack on a sheet pan. Place in a 300 degree oven for 1.5 hours.
3. Remove turkey from oven, and turn breast side up. Return it to the oven , and turn heat down to 250. Leave for 1 hour.
4. Check the internal temperature of the turkey by placing thermometer in the thigh meat. If the temp has reached 155 degrees , remove from the oven. If it has not, turn heat up to 300 , and check temperature every 15 minutes.
5. Allow turkey to rest at room temp for 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Making His List, Checking it Twice


Our freezers are full. Our pantry is full. Our basement is full. We are the food storage equivalent of elastic waist band pants - too stuffed to be confined. Since we picked up our final CSA delivery of the season last week, it seemed like a great time share our inventory list with all of you.

Honestly, I feel exhausted just reading the list. If you did not preserve this much food (because you apparently had other fun things to do with your free time), we encourage you to visit the your local winter farmers' market. If the Indianapolis area is your home, be sure to visit the Indianapolis Winter Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings.

Thom E Boy and Tree Boy will be reunited on Channel 13 (WTHR) on Friday, November 20 during the morning news. Thom E will do a twist on traditional Thanksgiving favorites. I guess you could say Tree Boy will be talking turkey with Thom.

Our basement includes:
Quantity Unit Description
40 Pounds Yellow Gold Potatoes
40 Pounds Sweet Potatoes
40 Pounds Mixed winter squash
8 Ropes Fresh Garlic
6 Jars Home canned pickles
12 Jars Home canned whole tomatoes
2 Jars Home canned tomato paste
2 Jars Home canned pickled garlic scapes
2 jars Home canned pickled okra
2 Jars Home canned enchilada sauce
2 Jars Home canned tomato sauce
15 Jars Home canned tomato juice
4 Jars Home canned hot sauce
1 Jars Home canned mole
13 Jars Home canned salsa


Our freezer is packed with:
Quantity Unit Description
1 Bowl Bread Crumbs
1 Loaf Honey Mesquite Garlic Dill Bread
1 Loaf Gluten Free Rye
1 Pyrex Persimmon Pudding
1 Whole Pumpkin Pie
2 Whole Marble Cookies
2 Gallons Black Raspberries
2 Gallon Blueberries
5 Food Saver Strawberries
3-Jan Gallons Tart Cherries
13 Food Saver Peaches
4 2 c. Persimmon Pulp
1 Package Chestnut Flour
1 Package Mesquite Flour
5 Pounds Yellow Cornmeal
5 Pounds White Cornmeal
5 Pounds White Grits
5 Pounds Whole Wheat Flour
2 Pounds Whole Wheat Flour
3 Packages Beef Stew Meat
6 Packages Ham
1 Package Pork Loin
1 Package Pork Tenderloin
1 Package Meatballs
1 Whole Turkey
1 Package Duck Breasts
2 Packages Ham Bones
1 Package Chinese Pork Sausage
1 Package Apricot Duck Sausage
1 Package Chinese Cured & Smoked Ham Pieces
1 Package Venison Sausage
1 Package Country Ham
2 Packages Ground Beef
1 Package Turkey Breast
1 Package Brats
1 Package Chicken Sausage
1 Package Skin on Chicken Breasts
1 Package Chicken Drumsticks
1 Package Homemade Bacon
3 Packages Raw Milk Butter
1 Loaf Spinach Feta Stuffed Bread
1 Package Spicy Korean Pork
1 Container Beef Stew
1 Package Risotto Corn Cakes
1 Containers Roasted Mixed Squash
1 Package Squash Ravioli
4 Individual Bean Dip Kolaches
10 Individual Mushroom Burgers
3 Slices Cooked Bacon
5 Tbls. Bacon Bits
1 Package Chicken Veloute
3 Packages Basil Pesto
1 Container Mole
1 Container Carrot Puree
2 Container Shrimp Sauce
1 Small Pkg Raspberry Sauce
2 Containers Red Pepper Puree
2 Package Eggplant Puree
1 Package Wild Caught Blue Shrimp
1 Package Langoustines
3 Packages Shrimp Shells
4 10/Package Key West Shrimp
4 Gallon White Beef Stock
1 Pint White Beef Stock
3 Jars Corn Stock
3 Packages Corn Stock
9 Packages Cutting Celery
1 Package Morel Mushroom Duxelle
1/2 Package Artichoke Hearts
14 Packages Asparagus
3 Packages Sugar Snap Peas
1 Package Asparagus Stems
2 Packages Snow Peas
7 Packages Green Beans
10 Packages Corn
1 Packages English Peas
5 Packages Okra
2 Packages Sautéed Zucchini and Squash
6 Packages Tomato Salsa
1 Package Chanterelle Mushroom Duxelles
1 Pint Yellow & Red Pepper Puree
8 Packages Broccoli
1 Package Green Beans
6 Packages Cauliflower
4 Packages Okra
4 Packages Leeks
1 Jars Roasted Eggplant
2 Packages Green Chile Peppers, Roasted, Peeled, Seeded & Chopped
1 Package Red Chile Peppers, Roasted, Peeled, Seeded & Chopped
3 Packages Cured Salmon

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Rock Lobsta'


Ok, I realize that this is not local...at all, but, sometimes you have to have a little lobster fix. I have had many people ask me for my lobster bisque recipe over the years, but I have never given out the actual recipe...until now.

This is a great fall soup. I also have used roasted fresh pumpkin in place of rice in the past in orgasmic results.


Lobster Bisque

3 oz Onions
2 oz butter
3 parsley stems
1/2 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
2 1/2 pound lobster
1/4 Cup Brandy
3/4 Cup White wine
3 1/4 cups chicken stock
2 1/4 cups clam juice
1/2 cup rice
2 cups Extra Heavy Whipping Cream
5 oz butter
1/4 cup chopped chives.

1. Cook lobster until just red (you can ask your fish guy at the grocery store to steam it for you)
2. Remove meat from tail and claws. (I use kitchen shears to do this.) Cut meat into 1/4 inch pieces. Reserve the meat and all shell pieces.
3. sweat onions in 2 oz butter. Add parsley stems, bay leaf and thyme.
4. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and brandy. (Careful, this may flare up. If it does flame up then the alcohol is disappear in the soup. If alcohol does not flame up then it is still in your finished cooked product.) Reduce until it is just about gone (au sec)
5. Add the Lobster shells, Chicken Stock and Clam Juice. Simmer 20 minutes.
6. Strain soup.
7. Return to pot with the rice. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes.
8. Puree with a hand blender, blender or food processor. Add the heavy cream and butter as you puree.
9. Put pieces of meat in the soup cups. Pour soup in cups. Top with chopped chives.